


Light vs Dark: A Blue Fairy's Interference

by shadowcove



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2019-11-07 20:57:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17967929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowcove/pseuds/shadowcove
Summary: What would happen if the Blue Fairy went back to work with her past self to completely derail Regina's future and everything went wrong? What happens when there are two blue fairies and one is almost as dark as the Dark One? Could Regina cope with the 'what if' that her life might have been? Would she want to change anything? Would she want to lose Emma to a spell? Or lose ever having Henry? Not a chance!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love AO3 I can put a much better summery in here than at the Fanfic.net

“This is wrong,” whispered one fairy watching the scene unfold before them.

“If you know what I do in the future you would stow your ideals of right and wrong and follow my instruction,” snapped the other fairy.

“You should let fate run its course.  What you are doing is wrong!” argued the first fairy as every nerve ending in her body begged to race after the woman they watched.

“Green will do her job, that is all. No more, no less,” the Blue Fairy watched as the Green Fairy sent that foul excuse of a human being to her supposed true love.

“Green was given the wrong dust!  She is about to destroy that girl’s life! I can’t let this happen!” spoke the other fairy but panic spread across her lovely cheeks and showed the whites of her horror filled white eyes. It was if the world slowed, and motion seized as her eyes tracked the hand she knew so well when it produced a silver wand inlayed with shadow quarts, bloodstone, and lapis azure.  Before the fairy could break the spell she winked away. 

The Blue Fairy, a fairy from the Land of No Magic, that dreaded realm of Storybrooke, watched as Regina Mills opened the tavern door, paused and froze.  The Blue Fairy smirked then her lips fell into a thin line as she witnessed her plans plummet to earth.  Regina ran from the spell of the dust, the false dust that was stolen from the fairies, that Blue her self had stolen and gave to Green.  Tinkerbell ran, well flitted, after the girl.  Blue sighed, resolute.  She would have to wait and take her past self’s place.  Then she smiled, that might not be so bad.

** In Storybrooke: **

A flash of light dropped the Blue Fairy onto her knees, gasping for air in the middle of Main Street.  She looked around, took in the sights, sounds, and smells.  She looked at her hands.  The hard surface of the path beneath her ground into her knees, and she winced as she stood.  The village was strange, and the homes were sturdy and colorful.  The paths next to buildings were clean, and the people… she gulped, the people were…. Demons!

Wait, no.  She looked harder.  Children wore strange clothing and ran about the hard black path.  Torches with no flames lit the night.  Laughter, screams of delight, running, walking.  She felt the world spin.  Her vision narrowed and then that taste, that gods awful taste came up from her stomach and left the taste of acid in her mouth.  A hand came to her shoulder and her gaze slowly lifted to the greenest eyes she had ever seen.  A smile made by angels had lifted her spirits.

“Blue?  You Ok?”  asked the woman her voice rich, not to high and not to low, it was almost just right. Then she finally registered the woman’s words.

“You know me?” Blue asked hoping that someone, anyone, especially this person could help her. Then another woman came up beside the blonde.

“Emma honey, what’s going on?” the newcomer asked as she reached Emma’s side.  Blue’s eyes grew wide and she felt the sting of tears.

“Snow?” Then she looked to Emma, the same green eyes, the same chin.  She needed someone and who better than Snow White. Then a voice growled from behind them.

“Just leave the bug.  Henry wants to go to the fun House,” the scowling voice slid into her ears and made her spine shiver. Blue never thought she could hear a voice scowl and yet when she found dark eyes and the owner of the voice there was definitely a scowl upon her face.  Snow moved to the side as Regina came to the left of Emma.  Blue clicked as she saw the beautiful woman that the girl had become.

“Oh Regina!” Blue lunged for Regina hands out to clasp Regina’s hands just to see her, tell her everything.  In the blink of an eye everything changed.  She stood stock still.  Regina’s hands held fireballs, one per palm.

“You can do magic?” Blue watched the flames flicker and grow, then her eyes shot to Regina’s. She saw the well-manicured eyebrow lift arching her eyebrow curiously. She saw the hate in Regina’s eyes, then the flames in her hands grew.

“What happened to you?’ Blue asked softly almost wanting to reach out once more, run a hand up her arm to comfort the fears of the woman before her.  The woman shifted.

“Look Bug…” but Regina was cut short by the blonde with eyes she knew from the other woman next to her. Regina glared at the blonde’s hand on her forearm, but Regina closed her palms and grit her teeth.

“Are you ok Blue?” asked the woman in a red jacket.  The world was spinning it was too much, but she needed to talk to these people, she needed to tell Regina her fate was driven off course. Blue lifted a hand to her temple and then rubbed her face.

“I think we need to talk,” the fairy finally said with a certain amount of strength.

**The Dinner:**

Blue looked around as she sat at a table hunched over the surface with Emma’s warm jacket about her shoulders, and a hot cup of mint tea to soothe her stomach in her hands.  She told them everything she knew.  She told them of a future self, slightly older than she was, bent on destroying Regina’s happiness, her future.  She told them she stole the dust and gave it Green, not the other way around.  Snow, Emma, and Regina listened as the fairy spilled her guts to the trio and when it was over it looked like the Blue fairy seemed to age in the past hour from exhaustion.  Emma placed a hand on her shoulder as Snow took her hand and they comforted her. 

“I’m sorry,” the said rasped as her voice cut through her tears.  Emma squeezed her shoulder and reached for the cup and asked Granny for a refill.  Bless the woman, she already had another cup ready.  When Emma returned with the tea cup Blue looked up and smiled. 

“You are a kind person Emma.  How do you know Snow?” Blue asked.  Emma shifted.  She hated telling this part of her life.  It was just too damned complicated.  Blue looked to Snow who looked away with a regretful look and then sad eyes met Blue’s.

“Emma is mine, and Charming’s Daughter,” Snow said and Blue blinked and looked between the women and snow smiled sadly, “A curse came, we had to place her in a wardrobe, and hope…” then Snow looked up to Emma, “Hope for the best,” Snow finished their story as Emma stepped away from her mother, and the fairy and sat on a stool next to Regina.  After hearing of the tale of the Lost Princess and the Curse, Emma began to call the tale, Blue placed her hands firmly on the table and then took up Snow’s hands.

“I want to fix this!  Please let me fix this,” the fair almost begged Snow. 

“Oh for the love of… Who cares?!” Regina growled as she threw her hands in the air.  Emma, sitting next to Regina, flinched.  Not noticeable, but it was enough for Regina to know, to see the effect of her words. Regina’s glance and tilt of her head told Emma she didn’t mean Emma’s life, but her life, Regina Mills’ life was just fine.

“I have everything I have ever desired.  I have all I want or need.  I have a life I made for myself.  I have a son,” Regina growled once more at the fairly.

“And an evil heart because of what ‘She’ did!” argued Blue standing her ground.

“Watch it Bug!” Regina warned then turned away from Blue, from her past, and all the what ifs that could have occurred.

“What about true love!?” yelled Blue. 

The air in the dinner seemed to shift as Regina shifted her shoulders back and slowly turned on her stool at the bar.  She glared at Blue.  Regina stood slowly to her feet, her fingers crackled with unspent magical energy. Quicker than lightning her hand plunged into Blue’s chest and ripped out her heart.

The fairy gasped and went to her knee, and looked up at Regina holding her glowing heart, not even a blemish, maybe some … bruising from some choices, but your basic wear and tear on the soul.  Regina kneeled before the fairy nose to nose, clamping the heart in her hands.  Regina applied pressure to the heart and smirked at the groan that came from the fairy. Blue looked up as Emma’s hand came to rest lightly on Regina’s shoulder.  A flick of the sorceress’s head to the hand then the smile slipped into a snarl.

“Never interfere in my life.  Got that Bug?” sneered Regina. 

Blue could not talk, her chest seared with pain.  She weakly nodded her head.  She watched a dark glint flash behind Regina’s eyes.  Regina slammed the heart back into the owner’s chest… Hard, harder than was necessary. Blue gasped in relief as warmth spread through her chest once more.  Her hand flew to her chest to feel the organ beat and she sighed.  She opened her eyes to hear the clacking of heals on tiles, and a bell note the door had opened, and no Regina in sight.  She looked up and found Emma’s hand, the same one that rest on Regina’s shoulder reach down for her.  Blue took it and thanked the blonde for her help.

“You are lucky,” Emma said with a smile as Blue sat back in her chair.

“I beg to differ,” Blue said as she rubbed her chest.

“No, Emma’s right.  You are lucky this wasn’t a few years ago, or she would have crushed it,” Snow said smiling.

“Why are you smiling then? She still ripped my heart out of my chest!” exasperated the fairly.  Emma sat down as she came back to her mother and the fairy with a cup of coffee for Snow, a hot cup of tea for Blue, and a cup of coffee for herself.

“Because she chose not to kill you, even though she has, oh what did you say… an evil heart,” Emma smiled over her cup as she watched as the Blue-Freaking-Fairy, Lead Queen Fairy Bee, was mollified by words that were thrown back at her.  Snow patted the fairly in understanding.  It was Emma that sipped coffee and thought of all the information that had been shared.  There was another Blue Fairy out there, the one they all knew, that screwed with their lives, all because Regina was a raging bitch.  But who’s fault was that?  Emma thought back to something Regina said to her once. 

 _Evil in not born, it is made_.  As Emma sipped her coffee and put pieces to a puzzle she didn’t understand, she had to admit, Regina seemed to be onto something.  In this case, Regina might be right.


	2. Chapter 2

**In the Enchanted Forest:**

“You can trust me,” said the peddler.  The prince and princess did just that.  Trusted a stranger.  When they left the peddler to his path a glimmer perched on the peddler’s shoulder.

“It would be in your best interest to get off me, Dearie,” hissed the peddler.  The fairy smirked, flew from her perch and re-sized midstride and walked with the peddler.  As soon as they were certain the royals would not be back their way the peddler shifted.  His skin grew course and glittered with a green complexion.  Blue always found Rumpelstiltskin reminiscent of a lizard. 

“You did well,” she said as they walked and then he grabbed her, pulled her to him, and then they transported away in a cloud of red.  Rumpelstiltskin let go of the woman as soon as they arrived at his castle. 

“I did my part, now it is your turn Dearie,” he giggled and then spun back to her with his fingers steepled in front of him.  The fairy held her hands up with a coy look on her face.

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” she played and faster than a whip Rumple plunged his hand in her chest and yanked.  Blue took deep breaths, and then let the pain, the heavy empty ache subside.  She opened her eyes and her expression pinched.  They both looked down to his hand.  His smile grew, and her eyes narrowed. 

“Such a dark heart from one who claims to be doing good work,” Rumple impishly smiled with a giddy little giggle.

“Yes well, I would gladly take upon an evil heart to destroy the woman who destroys everyone’s happy ending in the Enchanted Forest,” Blue gritted as Rumple looked up and joking pretended to fumble with the heart in his hands.  She leapt forward but he snatched it from her reach.  He lifted the heart to his lips, and her eyes grew.

“Tell me all your secrets,” he whispered almost lovingly to the beating organ in his hand.  Blue stood wreathing and clamped her lips together.

“You are lucky I allowed you so close,” she said as she pulled her wicked wand from behind her. 

“Give me the wand,” he ordered the heart and Blue growled as she handed over the item.  He looked at it and shrugged then tossed it on the table as if it was nothing more than a stick in the forest, “Now talk,” he ordered.

Blue told him of the future, of Regina and her evil ways, and the deaths she caused.  The dark curse that takes them to the land of no magic.  That got his attention. 

“Why would she send you there?” he asked eyes glittering evilly.

“It’s where…” Blue tried as hard as she could to keep one morsel of information to her self then he squeezed, “YOUR SON!  That is where he is,” she gasped as his hand released his tight hold.  He looked at her and rammed her heart back into her chest.

“I knew where he was,” he gritted then tilted his head to the side with a disturbing smile, “So, Dearie, you planned everything.  You planned for Regina to become my apprentice, planned for the princess to lose control of her steed.  Planned for Regina to save her, then the little brat to betray her,” Rumple look up into Blue’s eyes, “Tell me, did you make the little girl tell Cora, or was that all on her own?”

Blue stood firm, not speaking.  Her silence alone was his answer, and he loved the maliciousness of it. The Dark One laughed straight from his guts and bent over in glee. 

“Oh, you poor pathetic insect,” he chuckled, “You did all of this to the woman you wanted to destroy.  Don’t you think that she is this way All…Because… Of… You?” Rumple tisked at Blue. 

She sighed and turned to the table and then held her hand over her heart.  That foul woman took from her.  She took the man she was destined to be with.  She took her true love.  She shook her head.  If she could not live with him then the Queen could not live, could not ever have happiness, and she could die getting her revenge, if only to hold him in the hereafter.

“The thought had crossed my mind, yes,” Blue replied softly and then her gaze hardened when she thought of Ray, “We have gone down this road for too long.  Let’s finish it,” she gritted.  She strode to the table and picked up her wand, changed and flew.

She arrived as Geppetto finished the wardrobe, she arrived as the word came that the Prince and Princess would arrive.  She waited in her place, away from wondering eyes, and observed the activity that was to come.

As the curse came, Snow barely kissed her child’s forehead, barely breathed her name, and then shoved her in the wardrobe with an incompetent boy.  She held her wand as the cloud covered them, took them away, cursed them.

When her eyes opened, she was back in Storybrooke.  She smiled as she looked down at her Mother Superior garb and sighed.  She had her memories.  Excellent.  Now wait for 30 years to come.

**About 35 Years Later** :

There was a ripple in the air.  Something shifted, and Mother Superior looked up from her papers.  She slowly stood and looked out of the window of her convent office.  She wanted lavish cushions, and slide into her fairy form and stay that way, but the last 30 odd years taught her appearances were everything.  Every damned thing to happen over the past 40 odd years were her fault, in the Enchanted Forest, and now in Storybrooke.  She can silently claim it with pride. She was behind almost every one of the instances that made Regina a suspect.  Hell, she even framed her that time Cora came to town and supposedly killed Archie.  She was the one that released the older witch to begin with.

The one factor in all of this, even having gone back she never counted on, was Emma Swan.  The Savior.  The product of true love.  More like the product of a pain in her ass.  Blue could feel it, call it instinct, but she knew the blonde sheriff has something to do with the shift in Regina’s heart.  She watched the two women tap dance around their emotions for years.  It was only a matter of time.  There was that ripple again.  She looked at the calendar, the time. 

“Oh dear,” she muttered.  In the past this was the day she went back to the Enchanted Forest.  This was the day she went back and replaced her past self.  She threw her shoulders back and moved from the window.  She grabbed her drab navy blue shawl, and began her walk down the street .  She got to main street, and saw it happen.  It was nothing.  No flash, no pop, no cloud of smoke.  She was not there, then she was there kneeling on the road looking at it as if she was confused.  Blue watched Emma come up to her past self.

“Damn,” she hissed.  She didn’t need to stay to know that when Snow, and Regina approached her cover would be blown.  She spun and teleported. 

“Hello Dearie,” came a voice from behind her.  Blue turned and then took a deep breath.

“We have a problem,” she said and shuddered as she saw Gold’s smile slip over his lips.

“You have the problem, Dearie.  Everyone expects me to be evil.  Not the Fairy Godmother, or the epitome of good in the world, The Blue Fairy,” he said having too much fun at her discomfort.

“Ah, yes, and how is your marriage going Rumple?” Blue said as she stepped closer glaring into the man’s eyes. 

“I see,” he gritted as he could smell blackmail from a mile away, “This way,” he led her to the back of the shop.  He picked up a potion, a pouch, and a box.

“What are these?” she asked as she saw a vile with two hairs in them, entwining, glowing, as if dancing.  He looked up with a fake grin.

“A science experiment,” he deflected then turned, “I’ll be back Belle,” he shouted.  They heard a soft voice from the back.  He grabbed his cane and then agreed to teleported to the back of Granny’s.

**Inside the Dinner:**

They saw the sheriff nurse a cup of coffee. They watched as Snow and the fairy sat in silence.  Snow opened her mouth; her annoying voice could be heard.

“Now that there are two Blues, we need to be able to distinguish you apart,” Snow said.

“Smart girl, when she isn’t trying to save the world,” Rumple commented, saw the fairy beside him then shrugged, “What?  When she tries to do anything heroic, she is a complete moron.  It is a miracle that Miss Swan has a brain.” 

Blue only smirked and agreed but watched the conversation commence.

“I have a name,” the fairy in the dinner said softly then she looked up, “Reul Ghorm,” she said and the fairy beside Rumple shifted.  She never told anyone her name.  If people know your true name it has power over you.

“That’s a nice name,” Snow said patting her hand, but Emma moved her chair and got a refill.

“Ok Reul, lets go get us an evil fairy,” she said and came back, “How do we fight her?” asked Emma as she sat down.

Blue watched as the question of the day was dropped from the Saviors lips.  You can’t defeat someone as ancient as the Blue Fairy, as ancient as Reul Ghorm.  Even Rumpelstiltskin had problems with her magic.  She smiled.  The fairy before her was not used to darker methods of survival.

“I never thought that the Imp would stoop as low as to spy, especially with the Bug,” came a voice from their right and from a distance.  Blue straightened and turned to Regina, and Gold stood next to her.  It was like a showdown at the OK Corral.

“Now that I have met your better self, I can see the differences,” Regina smirked, “Evil doesn’t look good on you Gnat,” Regina smiled as a fireball flamed in her hands. Rumple threw the pouch in between them as Regina threw a fireball.  The bag caught on fire, and smoke filled the alley way.  Coughing could be heard as Rumple grabbed Blue and led her through a door way. 

“Regina!” came Emma’s voice.

“Damnit!” Regina growled, and then looked up when she saw the other blue fairy trailing behind Emma.  Regina tilted her head to the side at the pairing, but it was not her business.

“The Imp, he threw a bag of… something that intercepted my fireball.  I don’t want to go in there. Who knows what that cloud is?”  Regina said as she stepped back from the alley way.  Emma however was a moron.  She sped into the cloud as if she was a demon on the heals of the escaped dead from hell. 

“Emma! Gods!  You damned Idiot!” Regina yelled and went to run after her, but Snow caught her arm.  She glared at the hand.  Regina found the eyes of her enemy, snatched her arm from Snow’s grip, and plunged into the cloud after Emma. Snow opened her mouth to speak and then shut it as she saw Blue… Reul, race after the two women. 

Regina and Reul found the door, it was the only one in the alley, and walked through.  They heard scuffling, grunts, and Regina and Reul could practically taste the magic in the air.  When they came to the open space that Emma, Gold, and Blue stood in, it was like mayhem had erupted.  Emma crouched behind a tempted over table, and Gold and Blue stood behind pillars that held up the structure of the warehouse.  Regina rolled her eyes, of course it had to be a warehouse. She looked around.  With heavy chains hanging from the roof, part of the ceiling was falling in and looked like it would cave in at any moment.  Emma deflected a spell.  Pride bubbled in Regina’s stomach, and then she watched where the spell went.

“Emma NO!” she dove forward and blasted the debris from the ceiling to bits saving Emma, but it had its consequences.  Regina took a magic shot to the thigh. She rolled and sat next to Emma and clutched her thigh.  Emma looked down at her leg and then around.  She saw Reul. 

“Cover us!” she shouted, and the fairy nodded from her post around the corner and popped her head out surveying the land.  She looked over to the villains.  Then behind them. She took a deep breath.

“Emma help her,” Regina commanded, but when Emma’s hands touched her wound, she sighed as pain shifted away, and the healing commenced.  Emma smiled when Regina opened her eyes, then Emma’s hands pulled from the ruined pants.

“Shut up,” growled Regina and then she looked to the new fight scene. 

Reul threw Rumple into the wall with her blue wand, but he stood quickly. Regina threw out her hand and the wall reached out and captured the man’s hands and held him fast.  Regina and Emma quickly stood and went to help Reul.  Blue versus Blue.

Reul saw her comrades and smiled, but it was stupid.  She took a hex to her gut, she doubled over.  The blue fairy’s grinned and shifted to blast Rumble free with a dark wand silver.  But Reul shot a spell and it intercepted the Blue’s and deflected to the ceiling.  The blue fairy looked at her options, saw Reul weakened, and Emma and Regina worse for wear and her partner captured by a wall.  The blue fairy turned and shot a spell.  Reul threw up her wand and sent one last charge to save Regina.  Magic combined in a white blue light as it smashed together, but kept charging forward.  Regina closed her eyes.  At least she would die a hero.

Then nothing came.  She opened her eyes, Green.  Regina looked at the eyes she had memorized and then looked deeper into their depths.  Then they closed as Emma dropped to the floor.  Regina looked up and saw Blue magic Rumple free and they both teleported out of the warehouse.  Regina watched as Reul stumbled over to the women.

“No,” it was a strained whisper that slipped from Regina as her hands slowly reached out to touch Emma.  Regina’s hands were caught by the fairy and her eyes glared at the woman with absolute hatred, but the fairy wasn’t watching Regina. Her eyes watched Emma.

“Oh my god,” Regina gasped.  Emma Swan, shifted.  Four legs, soft light tan fur. Regina sat with her mouth open as she took off her gloves and ran her fingers through the fur of Emma’s neck.

“You fool, you damned idiot,” Regina whispered. 

She felt the tears creep up, creating a lump in her throat, but she would not let them come.  Fingers clutched the fur of the doe, and she bent forward and buried her face into neck of the animal that was her best friend. The doe roused, lifted her head and looked at Regina as Regina’s head came off her neck.  Then panic set in the dear’s eyes.  She kicked out smashing into Regina’s thigh, and sprang to her feet.  The doe finally made it to her feet and stared at the woman before her.  Regina spoke softly as she gingerly stood on her bruised leg.  She smiled softly, spoke quietly, with her hands out and inched forward.  The Doe, Emma, blinked.

“Emma, I’m right here. See,” Regina said and nodded slowly to her hands, “I am right here,” Regina slipped her hands past the deer’s nose, and slowly, as if everything counted on this moment, Regina slid her hands over Emma’s fur.

Part of the ceiling dropped behind Regina startling the woman.  The doe before her snapped with wild eyes and bolted through the glass window that shattered open in their fight. Regina raced after Emma down Main Street, but she was too slow.  Emma was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

** Granny’s: **

The evening seemed to drag on and the sorceress, evil or redeemed, had no patience for the idiot who spoke.  It was because of the bug and her evil self she didn’t have her sheriff beside her.  Regina simmered as she sipped her tea, and everyone knew her silence meant her impending explosion.  Snow came to her in the street as she watched Emma, the doe, run off into the woods, and the pixie haired woman caught her, supported her as her knees buckled, and she pitched forward in a silent scream.  It was agony.  The guts of her heart ran from her, and it was something she was not prepared for.  Never in her life had she pitched forward in such desperation, such … shattered soul wrenching emptiness. It scared the shit out of her.

When she calmed herself, pulled herself together, she allowed Snow to help her to the dinner. She propped her leg up on a chair in Granny’s with a pack of ice on the bruised area of her thigh from when Blue hit her with that spell, and then Emma kicked out and nearly broke her femur.  How she had the strength to sprint out of that warehouse and chase after Emma, Regina still didn’t quite comprehend. 

“Regina are you ok?” Snow asked as she brought a towel to wrap around her thigh to keep the ice in place, “I thought you could heal your self now?” Snow asked as she kneeled beside Regina.  Regina put her tea down and made to take the towel, but Snow pushed her hands away. 

“Give me the towel, Snow,” Regina gritted.  Snow White, nosey little Snow, simply smirked, green eyes so like Emma’s. 

“No, I need you to do me a favor,” Snow said softly, so no one could hear them.  Regina simply tilted her head, not a yes, not a no, but an acknowledgement of her request.

“Let me take care of you for a moment,” Snow whispered and smiled as she looked into Regina’s surprised eyes, “I can’t take care of Emma right now. Please, let me take care of you in her place?” Snow asked. 

It was a simple request, no ulterior motives, and it has been happening more and more as their alliances have been strengthened with each challenge.  Regina nodded, and Snow softly wrapped the towel around the ice to keep it in place.  She then went to the bar and asked for another cup of tea which Granny quickly gave the princess.

“Thank you,” Snow said as she gave Regina a replacement tea and then sat next to her. 

“We are both worried, Snow,” Regina said.  It was all she will say on the matter.  Anything else would be too much, too revealing, and far too personal for the village, or town gossip.

“There you have it,” Reul said from the front of the dinner telling her version of the story.  Snow, Granny, and Regina heard most of it, but David, and Henry had not.  Snow smiled and looked over to Regina as she heard the rest of the story where the duel between Regina and Emma, versus Rumple and Blue stood off in the warehouse.

“She saved you again,” Snow said slightly, and smiled turning to Regina.  That was the wrong thing to do.

“Stow it Snow!  It is your idiot daughters Savior complex,” then she turned to Reul, “I want to know more about your wands,” Regina sneered taking the attention off her and back to the new Blue Fairy.

“Her wand is ancient.  I held it once and it shook me to the core.  Literally, I could not hold the artifact for there was too much dark energy.  My wand,” Reul pulled from her belt and walked over and gave it to Regina, “Is the most powerful of fairy wands, but it is because I am the oldest, for I am Ancient.  My wand is powerful because it has been with me for near an eternity,” Reul explained as if it was the most elementary concept on the planet. Regina opened her mouth to lay into the fairy then there was a ring from Snow’s phone causing the fairy to jump then look at the device in awe when Snow hit the speaker button.

“I lost her scent, but she is definitely in the forest,” Red’s voice sounded out over the hushed crowd.  Snow placed her hand on Regina’s arm as Charming placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder. He squeezed then left.

“David is coming to help if he can.  Thank you so much now that we have a starting place. Come back, we know you are tired,” Snow told her friend.  The wolf had been out there for a few hours trying to track the doe, but the wind was not in her favor.  Her scent whipped around and whirled on the breeze but could not give the wolf a definite direction. Reul closed her eyes as the door close after Charming left. She felt guilty, she felt responsible, and above all she felt sorry. 

“I might be able to help,” Reul whispered and turned to Snow.

“Don’t you think you have helped enough,” snapped Regina as she glared at the Blue Fairy.

“If I didn’t do anything you would be burying your friend instead of trying to save her,” ground out a slightly hostile fairy then her tone softened, “There is hope...”

“Stop right there!” Regina growled.

“Regina, she has a point,” Snow began.

“NO!” Regina looked around at the faces before her, “Listen to your self, listen to your SELVES.  Hope doesn’t solve problems,” Regina began to shift in her seat.

“But Regina…” Reul began but was cut off once more.

“ENOUGH!” Regina yelled, “I’ll fix this.  I will do something, because actions fix problems, not hoping.”

Reul watched as Regina slowly put her foot on the ground, and sat up straight, regal.  Her shoulders thrown back in resolution. Regina didn’t pay attention to anything more than the words that Emma was in the woods.  She swallowed and then jumped from her thoughts when she felt arms slip around her and pull her head to a solid chest.  She knew of only one person who would do than and she closed her eyes and rest her hand on his arms as she leaned her head against his shoulder and chest.

“Come on Mom,” Henry said as he moved around her chair after a moment and then held out his hand. She smiled at her boy, her handsome, grown beautiful son.  Then he jangled a set of keys and she shook her head with a smile.  Emma had been teaching him far more than to be delightful and respectful.

“My charming thief,” She joked and then looked to Snow as she gingerly stood, “Tell me when you find something,” then she paused as Snow’s hand grasped her hand and squeezed, “Please,” Regina added softly.  Snow nodded and then Henry took her arm around his shoulder and she leaned on him.  Damn Emma, she packed a punch with that kick. 

** Back in the Dinner: **

Reul watched Mother and son leave.  If Regina could have stormed out she would have, of that she had no doubts.  There was something different though.  The other Blue Fairy.  She said Regina was the cause of their unhappiness.  Regina was the person who took everything away from the people of the Enchanted Forest, but as Reul looked around, this was a paradise comparatively speaking.  They were not living like savages, or simple village folk.  They were … civilized. She turned to Snow.

“Tell me about their relationship,” Reul told the young woman and watched as an array of emotions flitted across Snow’s face. 

“That, Reul is very complicated,” Snow smiled as her gaze looked far away.

“I gather.  Its as if they hate each other one moment, and then would kill and protect for the other the next,” Reul made her observation very clear.

“Yes,” Snow chuckled as she sipped her tea, “But over the years they became the others family.  Largely due to Henry,” Snow chatted.

“How did that work?” Reul asked becoming enthralled in the story of the Evil Queen and Savior.

“Their lives seem to be similar.  They are both damaged people, even though Emma won’t tell me anything, she is very guarded. As you know we put her in the wardrobe, and sent her here for her best chance,” Snow winced, “We gave her up,” She whisked a tear from her eye, “She told us she was in foster care, orphanages, and bounced around. Charming and I can gather from what she told us she was treated terribly, ran with the wrong crowd, fell in love with the man that sent her to prison, who gave her Henry.  She gave Henry up, and prayed for his best chance, and a better life than hers.  Her wish came true. It’s funny that Regina became his mother… his best chance.”

“I’m not so sure.  There are too many coincidences here,” Reul looked down at her hands thinking, “Almost like a spark of destiny.”

“That may be true, but we are all happy here, despite the challenges,” Snow narrowed her eyes and Reul saw the protective nature in those eyes, “I may have caused Regina untold amounts of pain, but that woman is my family, for the good times and the bad, she is my family.  Emma and Regina in some strange way understand one another. Do not ruin that,” Snow lowly growled, something she never had to do unless absolutely necessary.

“I swear, I am only here to fix it, Snow.  I will do nothing to take away their happiness,” Reul promised and Snow nodded, sipping her tea and waited, just like everyone else, for news about Emma.

** The Mansion: **

 “You ok?” Henry asked as he sat behind the wheel of her beamer, “I thought you could heal yourself.”

“I can but her healing magic is far better than mine.  I was hit twice in the same spot.  I will try again later,” Regina looked over to her grown son.  He volunteered for the festivities thinking he was too old to enjoy Halloween being close to 17. 

“Did you have fun tonight, Dear?” Regina asked Henry trying very hard to keep the tone of her voice from breaking, and the conversation normal.  Henry carefully drove them home and came to a stop sign and looked at his mother.

“It’s ok to be scared,” Henry said and then took her hand, squeezed it, and then dropped it so he can drive with his hands on the wheel, or he will never drive her car, EVER again.

Regina sighed and looked out the window to the sky.  It was quickly turning navy blue, and what color you could see refracted the most gorgeous periwinkles, and lavenders.  Regina sniffed, and swallowed the lump in her throat.

“She is my best friend,” she choked out, “She is our family.  How in the hell could she do that?  How could she be so stupid?” Regina gritted as she let her anger override her desperate fear of never getting Emma back again.

“I know, Mom, but she will be found, and we will save her,” Henry smiled as he said the next part, “I believe you will find away.  I have always believed in you,” Henry said, and Regina smiled over to her son.  Her reason for living this life.  If it wasn’t for him, and Emma, she would have stayed in that dark place.  She looked out the window.  Almost home.  Henry helped her through the house and to the back porch.  He came back with a crystal tumbler, and a large glass for himself.  She sipped her apple cider and sighed as she magicked a stool to prop her thigh on and some ice.

“I do hope that is juice,” Regina said as she began to wrap the ice around her thigh, and then looked over to her son and saw the smile on his face.  Then he looked out and his eyebrows furrowed.  Regina snapped her head to the backyard and a fireball immediately blazed in her hand.  But Henry put a hand on his shoulder and pointed.  It was a cat, a simple damned black cat, but Regina narrowed her eyes and threw out a spell and caught it.  She whispered a revealing spell incase it was a shapeshifter or a familiar of some sort.  She sighed and gently let the cat go with her magic.

“I’m jumpy,” Regina said in a soft apology looking at Henry.  Henry nodded but waved it aside. 

“I understand.  A lot has happened, and Ma is cursed… again,” Henry sighed and looked up, “I think I have to agree with you though.  She is a stray magic magnet, with a savior complex,” Henry smirked, “But that’s why we love her,” he looked at Regina, “She is our idiot.”

Regina laughed at her son.  Oh, how he had grown.  He was still the boy she knew, but becoming a wise, and steady young man.  His calm demeanor came from all the trials he had to go through in his life.  Kidnappings, dying, curses, and torture.  Yes, Henry Mills was the strongest of them all.  He was the rock they could always go to, he was the foundation of Regina’s love, and he was the essence of Emma’s beginning. If not for Henry, both Regina and Emma would be lost souls.

“So what’s a good operation name?” Henry asked as he sipped his grape juice.

“Operation...?” Regina asked.

“Emma’s cursed, again, we have to save her, and we haven’t had a good operation name in a while,” Henry stated.

“Well, it might be contingent on how to brake her curse,” Regina thought.

“True loves kiss!” Henry shouted excited.

“Henry, not everything can be fixed with trueloves kiss,” Regina frowned.  If she were to be truthful, she didn’t want to think of finding Emma’s true love.  She didn’t think she could…

“Operation Save the Idiot?” Henry joked.  Regina laughed heartily and shook her head, “I knew you would laugh, Mom.”

“How about Operation Doe?’ Regina asked.  Emma was in fact a doe now.

“Hmm, it doesn’t have guts,” Henry thought.

“Guts?” Regina asked quirking an eyebrow.

“Yeah, no pizazz.  No excitement,” Henry explained then he snapped his fingers, “Operation Yellow Bug?” he tried but Regina shook her head with a face.

“How about Operation get To Bed,” she smiled, and Henry gulped the last of his juice and stood up and kissed Regina on the forehead and said his good night still trying to come up with an operation name.

Regina sighed and leaned back into her chair looking out over her garden.  The night was crisp, and as soon as the wind whipped through the branches of the trees and along the rose bushes she felt something stir.  She felt magic churning.  She remained alert, as she once more tried to fix the damage to her thigh.  Slowly and steady as she looked out into her domain.  Something pushed on the boundaries of her senses.  She sat back, flexed her thigh and smiled then took a sip of her cider. Thoughts ran rampant.

How to find Emma?  How to fix Emma? Why in the hell was she a deer? How to protect her during moon time from Ruby… just in case? How was Henry really handling the situation.  She sighed at the last thought.  She knew he was being strong just for her.

SNAP!

Regina slowly stood, putting her cider glass on the short table between the two chairs.

SNAP!

“Show yourself or I swear I will burn you to a crisp!” Regina had a fireball in her hands to show she wasn’t playing around.  She was ready, she was alert.  There was a soft scuff to the right and she began to walk toward the sound.  She licked her lips as she felt magic in the air swirling in one place.  She erected a barrier with one hand and kept it as a shield and continued toward her tool shed.  The door was open, the lock on the ground.

She reached out one shaking hand, heart in her throat, pounding out a staccato beat. The door flew open and the hand swirled with flames as she held a shield before her with the other. Another scuff and Regina threw her fire ball into the shed. 

“Stop! Regina! Is Me!”

Regina threw out her hand and stopped the flames and replaced the damage and ran into her shed casting a dim light to the ceiling.  She had a fireball in one hand though.  Years of betrayal, and traps made her weary, and untrusting.

“Prove it,” she gritted as she looked but could not closely see the owner of the voice she craved to hear again.

“You hate me,” the voice said as a blonde head poked out from behind a shelf.  Regina’s heart raced at the sight of Emma’s face, but her brow furrowed.

“The whole town is under that perception for the most part,” Regina retorted, and bit back a smile.

“You want Henry all to yourself,” Emma tried once more.

“Again, town perception, and that hasn’t happened in the last 7 years,” Regina countered.

“Fine, around November 13th, you toss and turn in your sleep sometimes crying out from your dreams,” Emma dropped that fact. 

Regina diminished her fireball then short-circuited as her body and heart over ruled her mind.  She had no control over her feet as they flew to Emma in the soft dim light in the dark shed.  Both women would have never guessed they would come to care about the other so greatly, but over the years they both more than cared for the other. Regina turned to usher Emma from the shed, but the blond paused.

“What’s the matter?” Regina said holding out her hand.  Emma looked at it.  It was the most gallant gesture Regina had ever given her.  It was… charming.

“Not that I am complaining about your obvious caring nature right now, but I can’t leave this shed,” Emma said staying put planted to the ground.

“Why?” Regina asked as she stepped closer to Emma, but Emma threw up a hand and stopped her.

“Regina … Seriously?” Emma said as she indicated up and down her body.  Regina took a moment, and in those seconds, she looked away from her supposed blonde nemesis and snapped her fingers.  How in the hell did she not realize Emma was naked? 

Sweatpants, and a sweatshirt clothed Emma, and Regina in her embarrassment walked from the shed, head held high, back straight and strong.  She didn’t see her, she didn’t care about anything other than Emma being right there, where she could touch her.  She didn’t realize that blind relief meant that she didn’t give a shit whether she was clothed or not. Regina’s cheeks burned when she realized that what she neglected to see was pointed out to her, and the expanse of flesh that was on display… did very many things to the former Queen.

She turned when she did not hear Emma following her.  Emma slowly walked from the shed, as if getting her legs back under her.  Regina looked into Emma’s eyes as Emma looked up pathetically.  Regina let her shoulders drop and walked back to Emma.  The quick change, and Regina’s approach made Emma flinch.  Regina paused and slowly walked toward Emma with her hands out just as she did with the doe.

“It just me,” Regina said softly looking into green eyes, “I will never hurt you,” Regina said in a whisper.  She wished she could take it back.

“Never?” Emma asked in a small voice, with a tiny smirk on her lips. Regina paused, then sighed.  She committed to this moment.

“Never,” Regina said in a firm whisper.  It said more than she was willing to admit.

“Who are you and what have you, and what have you done to Regina?” Emma joked.  Regina rolled her eyes and then looked at her friend.

“I assure you Miss Swan, I am Regina.  Make me Prove it,” Regina said with a small challenge in her eyes. Emma smirked and then staggered a small step forward but didn’t let go of the shed wall.

“What is my greatest fear?” Emma asked seriously.  Regina’s eyes flew open.

“Are you talking about your drunken confession a few months ago or the excuse of a fear to cover up the real one you told me?” Regina asked back.

“Ok, you are Regina,” Emma conceded.  She didn’t want to relive that night, they both had too much cider, then too much bourbon. Too be honest Emma thought Regina forgot about that night.  Just one drunken blackout.  Emma didn’t forget, and apparently neither did Regina. Ever since then there was a heat to a small smoldering ember between them.

Regina slowly walked to Emma and then slowly wrapped Emma’s arm over her shoulder just as Henry did with her earlier that evening.  It made her smile as she thought of the day Emma saved her from the fire, only their positions were reversed. 

Emma relaxed against Regina, and Regina let the woman rest against her as she got them to the house.

“Thank you,” Emma whispered.

“You are welcome,” Regina whispered in return as they faced one another, lips just a breath apart.


	4. Not One of Those

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not a dead story, just a slow story. Thanks for sticking around for this . If I can just focus on this I think it would be fun to write.

As soon as Emma walked through the backdoor into the kitchen she was slammed with smells and her mouth watered.  She looked around looking for the food they had for dinner.  She didn’t know she simply froze, and her nostrils flared, and her eyes flew every where until her stomach didn’t growl.  IT roared.

“Ill fix you something quick to eat,” Regina scoffed as she limped slightly around her kitchen. Emma sat on the stool but the world went sideways as if she was on a boat.  Her hands smacked the top of the counters where she sat as she tired to catch her balance.  She saw Regina jump from her skin and turn around with the makings of what will probably be the best turkey sandwich she will ever have.  Once more her stomach roared.

“Sorry,” Emma said as she put her hand over her stomach, and then onto the counter for balance.  Regina saw these movements.

“What happened?” Regina asked.  She cut to the chase.  Having Emma in her kitchen, essentially cursed one moment and her idiot self the next was setting off a lot of red flags in Regina’s book. 

“I have no clue,” Emma said as she sniffed and looked around, “Did you guys have dinner yet?” Emma asked hoping for leftovers instead of a sandwich.

“We just got home, sat on the porch, and then I found you.  We have done nothing but look for you for the past few hours,” Regina said trying to keep the grit from her voice but evidently wasn’t successful when Emma winced. Regina stared at the woman.

“What is wrong with you?” Regina asked in her usual Regina way.

“I’m not sure,” Emma looked around and her eyes blew open when Regina placed the sandwich in front of her, “I smell stuff, and you are louder than normal,” Emma said as she took a bite and watched Regina narrow her eyes and Emma chuckled.

“I hope you choke on that sandwich,” growled Regina.

“No, you don’t.  You love me,” Emma said and then she stopped chewing as Regina froze.  Emma put her sandwich down and chew slowly as she went over those words in her mind.

“What, Swan?” growled the sorceress once more, but it is one of those soft growls that made the little hairs on the back of Emma’s neck, arms and hands rise to attention and cause her to shiver.

Regina on the other hand just had the object of all her fantasies and desires, hell the keeper of her twisted little heart tell her that she loved her.  Regina took a deep breath and then let it out.  There was no possible way she could know.  It’s Emma for gods sake.  She isn’t a moron by any definition of the word, but heart to heart soul seeking depth wasn’t Emma Swan’s forte.

“We need tot break this curse. It’s making me crazy,” Emma said as she took in the air in the room and noticed Regina’s scent fluctuate.  IT was driving her bonkers. Then she saw Regina nod and then motion for them to go to the sitting room.  She was limping and all Emma wanted to do was help her but why hasn’t Regina fixed herself.

“Let me see your leg, “Emma said as Regina sat down and pulled a foot rest to her, but Regina shook her off.  It wasn’t in her usual I shall not be helped it was just a tired woman asking to leave it be for a moment.

“We don’t know what your magic will do, and I will fix it soon. Can you tell me of anything that has happened?” Regina asked as she shot off a text to Snow that she had found Emma. 

“Not really.  I remember getting hit with magic and then being scared.  So very scared.  I ran and ran, but everything looked so weird and not normal. I was hearing things, seeing strange things, and smelling things.  All I knew was I needed to find you,” Emma concluded.  Regina sat there.  Not moving, barely breathing like a statue. 

“Did you know when you got hit you turned into a doe?” Regina asked

“Like a dear?’ Emma asked then saw this was not a joke and she groaned, “Are you kidding?” Emma gushed as she closed her eyes.

“When did you literally begin finding your way back to my yard?” Regina asked thinking trying to pull facts and place them into patterns and maybe find a solution.

“It was dark by the time I really remembered where I was going but I think I was doing to you anyways,” Emma said as she looked at the ceiling.

“What makes you say that?” Regina asked.

“I was already on the way,” Emma said as if that was the simplest reason why.

“I see,” Regina said to acknowledge Emma’s statement, but her heart warmed at it slightly, but she pushed it away, “So dark had you more lucid,” Regina thought and then she groaned, “Not one of those.  Oh hell.” Regina stood and limped to her shelves.  She began caring more of her magic books up stairs as Henry got older knowing the difference between dark and light magic. She lifted on title from the shelf and shuffled to the desk and then sat down with Emma following her and then sitting in a chair in front of the desk.

As Regina read her blood began to boil, and her temper began to fume.  A vase exploded and Emma shot from her chair and placed her hand on Regina’s.

“STOP!”

Regina was pulled from the book and she scoffed and threw it to the side on the top of the desk to be read more later but she read enough.  All the sudden she was exhausted.

“I’m tired,” Regina said and then began to bed, but a hand stopped as it placed on the arm.

“Let me come with you, make sure you are ok,” Emma said softly, and Regina shook her head. 

“Your curse has you shifting. Doe during the day, Emma by night.  I will need to know when you shift to get you to safety.  I guess you are coming with me,” Regina sighed as Emma walked behind her.  Once up stairs Regina led her to the guest room, essentially labeled Emma’s room.

“Ill wake us up before dawn and we can get you to the woods so you can run about.  Ill put protection magic on you and if you are hurt in any way you will be transported here.  Sound good?” Regina said But Emma smiled and slightly chuckled.  Then saw Regina’s look.

“Oh nothing, just the regular,” Emma smiled.

“Explain, Swan.” Regina said.

“Oh, you know.  I save you, you save me, I save you again, something screws up.  Now you must fix it, and I try to help with out getting in the way.  Its our life Regina,” Emma smiled staring off into space then looked back to Regina as she laughed.

“HA, yes it does seem like I can’t get rid of your lanky carcass,” Regina played back as she comfortable crossed her arms.

“You have to admit, its much more fun having a sparring partner,” Emma joked.

Regina nodded with a smile the looked at Emma.  Deep down she knew she was more than a sparring partner.  She was more of a partner than she had ever had.  Regina shook herself inwardly.  Best friend fit Emma Swan just nicely.

Emma shifted inside.  It happened more and more regarding the woman next to her.  All she wanted was to have a friend but with Regina there never seemed to a place for that.

What is love? Each woman had a different definition of such a powerful word.  For Regina it was weakness, abuse, darkness and even death. Love for her was always taken from her, and she never once was allowed to keep her heart and soul in her arms before they were wrenched away. For Emma love was kindness, acceptance, sacrifice and giving. 

Who was right in their definition of love?  All Regina could note on the subject was that with Emma she felt safe, warm, excited, and challenged. And with Emma regarding Regina she felt wanted, or needed, accepted in Regina’s own way and in some way warm.  That is what pulled Emma out of her thoughts and sighed.

It was the warmth of Regina’s home standing there looking at a lonely bed contemplating Emma’s issue that had both women looking to the other.  Smiled slipped to lips and a nudge of a shoulder and a soft graze of a hand against the outside on their thigh as they stood there had both women thinking their own definitions of love.

“I better go,” Emma said.

“Why?” Regina asked looking into Emma’s eyes.

“Do you really want to risk a full-blown dear transformation in your house for me to wreak havoc upon?” Emma smiled.

“Emma you should sleep in a bed and we already decided to get you up before sunrise,” Regina countered then she threw her shoulders back, “Also being around you Miss Swan, it is a risk I willing to take,” Regina nodded on the matter finished.

“What? Like a sacrifice?” Emma teased.

“See it as you wish, but you have become a thorn in my side and I might as well keep you close to make sure you don’t hurt yourself,” Regina teased back.  Emma chuckled and patted Regina high on the back and walked into the bedroom.

“Its ok,” then Emma clutched the door knob and smiled as she looked right into Regina’s eyes, “You are a weakness of mine too,” Then Emma slowly shut the door, giving the former queen to make a move or run down the hall.  But the both knew Regina did nothing rooted to the spot.  Emma listened and then after a few moments she heard a sigh and a small laugh.  That sound alone is what Emma strove for nearly every day.

Emma Swan in love with Regina Mills?

Maybe.


	5. Chapter 5

It was the feel of power, and the touch of something awesome that she smiled into.  It was magic.  Magic that was so thick she could take it into her hands and devour it.  Magic so gentle and warm that she could cuddle up within its folds and find a sanctuary.  That is how she found herself, blanketed in wisps of magic.  Wisps of white and grey that fluxed over her bed, over her covers. 

Her eyes popped open and she made the conscious decision to remain still.  Abso-fuckin-lutly still.  Regina could taste the magic around her and unlike her cinnamon and clove taste, yes, she could taste her magic, this magic tastes like vanilla and… lemon.  She knew it, it registered. Emma!  She swallowed, took a calming, soothing breath and centered herself.  Slowly she turned her body, shifted to her back and then turned her head.  Emma lay there underneath her down feather comforter on… Regina’s eyes whipped to the window.  Soft barely their purple began to shift into midnight. NO!

Regina launched herself from the bed and conjured clothes to her body and then looked back.  The woman in her bed shifted and mewed like a kitten.  And for a split-second Regina collapsed on the side of the bed witnessing the cuteness of Emma and then the magic undulated over the woman in wisps.  She watched as Emma’s magic seemed to fight a pale red and dark blue almost black.  It hit her.  Emma’s magic vs Golds and Blues. 

She took a step closer and reached out, the magic pulled away from her fingertips but still latched onto Emma.  Regina gulped but took every bit of courage that Emma, yes, the damned Knight in shining swan armor, gave her.  She placed her hand on Emma and the Magic blasted out and Regina let out a scoffing laugh. She stopped and then the hair on her arms lifted.  The magic came back.  Not only did it come back it coated the woman in her bed.  Regina reached for Emma’s hand and took her away to the forest.

She hated the way Emma called it poofing. It was transporting, it was magical and poofing made it feel like a parlor trick when in actuality it was fucking hard, especially with a magically unstable human in tow.  Regina landed and her legs fell out from beneath her and she let go of the woman.  She watched from the flat of her ass as the woman rolled away from her and magic clung to her like static on a TV screen. She scrambled for the woman and was shot from the body before her.  Regina slowly approached Emma, grit her teeth, and when her fingers met with the static ooze of magic it burned.  She swallowed when the pads of her fingers felt cool skin, and a normal body.  Regina screamed for Emma to wake up. The magic lashed out and threw her back once more and it was then as Regina, Evil Queen of the Enchanted Forest, Mayor of Storybrooke, and Mother of Henry Mills, was looking up from the dirt, with filth coating her clothes and flesh from being tossed about, that the woman opened her eyes and saw her.  Green the color of leaves found the most magical brown, and then flew open wider.  Regina saw the shock and flew to the woman.

“No!  Emma don’t panic!  I am right here, right next to you.  I will always be right there with you,” Regina slipped her hand past the magic and latched onto Emma’s hand.  It was worth it as Emma wrapped her long fingers around her hand. 

“Re…Gina!” Emma choked out on the forest floor. 

“Help!” Emma screamed once more and then the worst thing happened.  Emma looked up and Regina followed her gaze and then Regina snapped back to the woman.  She layered the woman in as much magic as she could.  Protection, location, anything before it happened. This time is was slow, almost painful.  As Emma lay there transforming inch by inch. 

Regina had Emma’s head in her lap, and she shushed and let her tears fall onto Emma’s brow.  She never knew a single tear hit Emma’s lips.  Emma licked her lips bringing that one tear into her mouth, swallowed it, took it into her.  When her transformation was completed Regina flew back.  She was healed from yesterday, but it didn’t mean she wanted to get kicked again. Then Regina calmed as the doe calmed.  They looked at each other.  They saw into the others soul.  Then Regina closed her eyes, hoping it worked, one last spell.  Transference.

The doe started but settled.  The woman and the deer stood frozen and then Regina swallowed as Emma, or the doe, came one step closer, then another.  Regina stood mere inches from the animal that is her best friend, the woman she… loved.  Then the Doe looked into her eyes.  Regina cocked her head. Green eyes.  Regina closed her eyes and projected a picture to the doe and the doe moved closer to Regina but stopped.  Regina softly, slowly lifted her ungloved hand and let the doe smell her scent. 

“This is me Emma.  You can trust me.  I will never hurt you my…. Little doe,” Regina caught herself, but it was in her thoughts her non voiced segment of sentences.  The doe inched forward and nudged past Regina’s hands and then placed her head against Regina’s chest.  Regina stroked the does neck caught in the bubble that only a true… no.

Regina pulled from the doe and watched the deer before her start slightly.  There was a snap.  The deer’s head jerked.  Then off she went.  Regina’s hand went up as if to stop her but knew she couldn’t.  She wouldn’t.  It was self-preservation.  It was survival.  It was basic.  Scared, run, hide, face it, and then met with a choice to face it further, or run from it.  She knew survival very well.  She could not see Emma and she broke on the inside.  She engulfed herself into a cloud of purple and landed in her bedroom, sans clothes as she walked to the shower and cleaned her self up.  As she stood under the spray, she closed her hand as she leaned against the wall.  She refused to admit it.  She could never be.  Nope Never. 

** In A Shop at Dawn… **

“Rumple, I don’t like this,” Belle started as the Dark One came clean of his adventures the day before.  It was easy to lie to the woman when the woman never knew what happened to her, never knew of the lies.  But once she found out, it was horrible, and all consuming, and incessant.  Belle to Rumpelstiltskin was like a mosquito and like a like saving bee.  His love would not flourish without the pollination of his little bee giving him hope, feeding him love.  But damn sometimes she was freaking annoying.

“Belle, it’s what I had to give to get us together,” Rumpelstiltskin confessed to his ever-annoying intelligent wife. Her next words cut him to his immortally dark heart.

“Are we even trueloves anymore?”  Belle asked.  She looked up to Rumple and he glared at her then crumpled to his knees.  She soothed him but spoke her thoughts.

“I don’t think I am your true love,” she voiced, and he scoffed, and she placed her palms on his cheeks and brought his gaze to hers.  She looked into his eyes, saw the universe, secrets and truths, happiness and sorrow.  She saw an infinite amount of everything all in one. 

“My love, I will love you always, you have always been my true love, always,” Belle paused and Gold blinked and swallowed as she dropped her gaze to their intertwined hands, “But I think your truest love, the love you love more than me, is power, is magic.  How can I compete with that?”

Rumpelstiltskin stood and let go of the hands of his wife.  He was faced with a choice.  A decision.   Damnit!  It was time.  The Dark One.  Power in spades and knowledge oh gods the knowledge.  Rumple looked back to his lover, his wife, and his best friend and confidant.  Belle understood him because she had been through EVERYTHING with him.  Scraggly skin, looking like a crocodile, to limping with a cane and positively charming.  She had seen him at his worst, seen him at his best… no matter what his skin was.  She was his Jiminy Cricket.  She was his compass that pointed toward right, even though he went about it the wrong way.  But Fuck he was the damned DARK ONE!  He was all powerful and could crush most mortals with the clench of his own fist.

“Emma,” Belle said into the space between them.  He stopped.  Ok …Ok... he was a stand in until Emma chose but he knew what she chose.  And the fucking princess chose love. 

“Emma is the center of this isn’t she?” asked Belle and his shoulders shifted slightly, and she saw it, “Oh Rumple, how?” the woman asked and the man before her simply shrugged.

“OH…MY…God..” Belle dragged out and Gold closed his eyes hoping and then poof.  Hope was gone with her words. “She found true love,” then he found a smallest bit of hope in her findings, then her eyes narrowed, “Rumpelstiltskin!” She hasn’t called him that in …. A very long time. 

“Emma Swan found truest love!!! All consuming love, love above all LOVE!!” She screeched and then sped to the stacks of books.  He watched the woman before him.  His heart…. He wondered what it looked like. Then he walked to Belle and stopped her.

“Do something with me? Please” he requested as she took his hands.  She nodded resolute.  But her eyes grew as he held her hand out stretched when he ripped out his own heart.

“Oh, my love,” is all, Rumpelstiltskin heard. Once an orange glowing beating organ, now it beat slowly blackened and tortured.  It oozed a layer of darkness around the heart by an evil membrane.  But now it was glowing orange underneath that darkness.  Somehow… Some way Belle can break this curse or accept it.

“I gave you my heart to show you … there is a possibility for redemption,” Gold shoved his heart into his chest, “I have been me for so long dearest that power is all I know, yes.  But truest love, what you speak of, if almost angelic.  Almost never to happen.  Belle…. Swan and Regina.  What they have is …. Fated,” Rumple told the woman and she lit up.

“Then we need to get her together with her true love,” Belle said and then Rumple smiled but slowed them down.

“Are you alright with this information, I killed your father to put you alone, and in my clutches?” Gold asked.  It was his secret that Blue had over him.  Belle looked at him.

“He has been dead for along time.  Knowing you caused it tore at my heart.  Did you know me before?” she asked.

“No I didn’t,” the Dark One admitted.

“Then it wasn’t ALL your fault but Rumple,” she placed a hand on his cheek, “At the rate your lies go, I might not be your wife in the future.  Fix it please for I love you,” Belle said and requested and all the Dark One could do was nod.

“Knowing what the Fairy has over me are me squared?” he asked hopeful then his wife smiled at him and his black heart skipped.

“Yes, thank you for telling me, but there is no fix this to this Rumple. You need to begin confiding in, everything Rumple, or you will begin to lose me forever,” Belle said as she poured over books.  Truest loves books.  Rumpelstiltskin shook his head. Ok…Ok... he would… for Belle.

** With Snow…. **

“Can you tell me anything?” Asked the princess but the fairy shook her head.

“What happened in this realm?  How has she shifted?  How did she cope? ’’Asked the fairy. Looking around but was met with a small laugh from the dark beauty with pale skin.

“Coping isn’t what I would call it, but Emma said it best.  ‘Look around you… toilets vs Outhouses or trees, running waters electricity, and connectivity?  What would you choose?’ Honestly, I long for simpler days.  But I love all the amenities that Regina strapped us with.  We are constantly trying to find a way home but for almost 30 years we have been trapped in stasis.  I am beginning to accept this place as my home.  If given the option I think I ill stay for I know Emma will,” Snow smiled gaze reached out for miles as she thought, “and Henry would never leave his mother,” Snow pulled her gaze back to Reul.

“I had a feeling it would be like that.  Maybe we could convince Emma to come back.  Fix everything the Evil Queen had done Maybe…” The fairy was stopped as Snow placed a hand on Snow’s. 

“Regina is Henry’s mother too, Reul,” Snow said to the woman. 

“Does Emma love Regina?” Reul asked.

There the door opened to the apartment and both women looked up the newcomer.  Regina heard the conversation through the door.  She was touched by her words about Henry being her son, but as soon as she heard that question, she practically threw down the door.  Snow stood and looked at Regina.  She gauged the woman before her.  Emma knew this woman best in all the realms combined, but Snow knew her rage.  And this one-time Regina was not angry, she was afraid.

“Rather interesting gossip over morning coffee Snow,” Regina sneered as she went to the coffee pot and poured her a cup.

“Why is it that you barge into places as if you own the?” Reul asked.

“Why little baby bug,” Regina smirked as her eyes narrowed “It is because I do,” Regina turned to Snow as the woman checked her calendar.  Nope not the first of the month, rent wasn’t due.  In recent years it was a screwed-up joke between them, but it was still true, Regina owned everything that Gold didn’t.

I know what is wrong with Emma,” Regina said over coffee.  She just got out of the shower moments before she poofed, fine she will go with the verb, to see Snow. She waved a hand and like a snap she was in a crisp black pants suit, white button down, Black vest and a red plash of color about her neck.  Her hair was perfect, makeup, impeccable.  Thank the heavens for magic. She waited for the looks to drift over faces, mouths to hang open, and them the burst…

“How?”

“When?”

“Did you see her?” Snow asked and Regina narrowed in on Snow’s question.

“Snow, I texted you last night,” Regina said to her step-daughter trying to take to cut from her voice, but seriously, come on. She smirked as Snow dove for her phone and she swiped up and then over.  She read.

“She is ok, thank the heaves, she is ok,” Snow looked up with tears in her eyes, and a smile on her face.  No warning came as Regina found Snow’s arms around her.

“Thank you,” the princess whispered in her ear.  Regina only brought her hands up to pat her lightly on her back.

“How do you know what’s wrong?” asked a voice from behind them and it is then that Regina narrowed her eyes. Oh, did she hate this little nat.

“She came to the house.  I found her in the shed in her human form.  She said it might have happened after sundown.  She stayed the night and I took her back to the forest this morning when the sun rose and she transformed back to a doe,” Regina relayed.

“How can you just let her go?” Reul asked as she walked up to Regina.  Regina stayed sitting on the stool cup of coffee in her hands looking bored.

“Look…” Regina began with a growl but had a hand on her arm and a small squeeze from Snow.  She looked at the offending hand and Snow took it back.

“You are new around her so ill tell you this once.  I just don’t do anything or nothing,” Regina narrowed her eyes and then put the cup down and stood.  She walked to the door then turned to snow.

“I’m tracking her, and I also have a transference spell on her.  We can find her if anything goes wrong,” Regina then strode through the door and slammed the door behind her.

“She is amazing,” a whisper from beside Snow voice in the quiet left behind in Regina’s wake.  Snow turned her head and looked at the fairy.  The small doe eyed look, the admiration in those eyes.  Snow sighed.

“Yes, she is.  She is more amazing than anyone with every know,” Snow took the cup back to the sink rinsed it out and washed the cup of Regina’s lipstick.

“Do you think its possible that she found her true love?” Reul asked as she watched Snow.

“Robin was her true love,” Snow said and then watched as the fairy shook her head.

“We, Blue and me, fabricated that.  We gave bad dust to Tinkerbell to ruin the woman’s life,” Reul looked at her hands, “I think she had found her true love.  I think she knows who it is too, but I think she afraid of the outcome,” Reul said.  She was in the town less than a day and she can read the people in plain as day.

“I think so too,” Snow whispered as she put on another pot of coffee and went to grade papers.


End file.
